Back in the early 2000's, Nu-Metal was officially in full-swing; a new wave of bands had been established, and the next generation of alternative music fans were about to catapult rock and metal into the mainstream. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing kids in baggy jeans skateboarding, talking about all these cool new bands they'd heard on this channel called Kerrang!...even video games and movies were getting in on the trend with a lot of soundtracks utilising the audible adrenaline rush, especially horror movies and sports games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater; the whole thing was huge. While bands like LIMP BIZKIT were rollin' high up the charts much to the dismay of disgusted parents, and LINKIN PARK were slowly taking over the world having released THAT album...but here in Wales we could more than hold our own. With a blend of angst-ridden alternative rock, urban hip-hop lyricism and pop melody, THE KENNEDY SOUNDTRACK emerged and dropped one of the greatest yet overlooked debut album's ever to come out of the UK...now, nearly twenty years later, they're back, and I was lucky enough to have a chat with guitarist/vocalist DAVE CHALLENGER, as he looks back with bloodshot eyes, to re-tell a tale of two cities, and look ahead to a whole new soundtrack...

I’d like to just begin by taking a look back to those formative years; for those unaware of KST, give us a bit of back-story…how did you guys meet and ultimately form?

“You know that will reveal how old we are right!? [Laughs] We met around the mid to late 90s while we were in our teens at Crosskeys College in South Wales. Many schools in the area at the time didn’t have 6th forms so you would go to Crosskeys to do your A Levels or whatever else they had to offer. At the time (And I believe still to this day), they offered a BTEC performing arts course, this course had two variants, Drama or Music. The majority of us met on the music course.

In between the sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, and shouting in an alcohol fuelled state at Pontypool’s Rugby lads, we’d also spent a lot of time playing music. Mainly; Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, Nirvana or Oasis songs, before officially forming The Kennedy Soundtrack in 1999 to start writing our own stuff. One of the first tracks we wrote was “Too Much Stress”, and that version is way different to what ended up on the album. It was more of a 90’s Britpop affair with Nic’s youthful higher pitched rap over the top. Though it planted the seed for the KST to grow…”

The early 2000’s was a really interesting era in rock and alternative music…with Nu-Metal in full swing, so many bands were experimenting with genre crossover’s; the likes of LINKIN PARK and LIMP BIZKIT all taking the blueprint set by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and redesigning an entire style…were these bands that you looked to as inspiration?

“Rage was definitely an influence, I remember a friend in high school gave me a black cassette tape that he’d recorded himself with the letters “R.A.T.M” carefully written in Tippex. He said “Give it a listen, there’s no samples or anything, it’s all Guitar!” I was like what IS this? I took it home and grabbed my Walkman and listened to it straight away. This was nothing like I’d never heard before and I loved it. There’s just something about those funky but also heavy riffs that just blew me away.  Up until that point I was mainly listening to U2 trying to figure out what on earth The Edge was doing then this Tom Morello guy was doing even stranger things!

Prior to RATM we were also growing up listening to GUNS & ROSES, CYPRESS HILL, N.W.A, NIRVANA and even prog-rock like PINK FLOYD, YES, and EMERSON LAKE & PALMER. Even the SEX PISTOLS, but I’m sure Johnny Lydon would not be impressed to be mentioned alongside Yes, but to be proper punk you don’t conform just to fit in. I watched an interview with him on YouTube the other day, I think he was quite disappointed with the punk scene. It’s what often happens with counter culture movements, is that they just become another box for everyone to fit into and then become main-stream. Be yourself, though accept your influences! [Laughs]”

With your gritty yet melodic rap-rock sound, you stood out yourselves in the South Wales scene…bands like CATATONIA and STEREOPHONICS had put Wales back on the map musically, but you were part of such a vibrant movement…with yourselves, SKINDRED, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND and we can’t ignore LOSTPROPHETS as much as society wants us to…what are your memories of back then? A lot has changed in music since, do you look back fondly?
 
 
“Lostprophets! I’m not gonna’ lie, we used to listen to them a lot, as they were around a little before us. It’s a terrible thing to have happened to all the victims, and it goes to show you shouldn’t put anyone on a pedestal. He’s ruined a lot of lives including the rest of the guys in the lost prophets that have to live with it. Anyway enough of that…

I do get nostalgic listening to all those bands; it was part of us as we were developing as people and as a band. Each of us was coming to the band with our own musical background and each one of us was determined to get that into the mix.  That’s the Kennedy Soundtrack, each one of us had a Soundtrack we grew up with to add to the project. Everything from 70’s Prog, Rock, Metal, Reggae, Hip-Hop and even 90’s indie.

Cool Cymru was a term that was banded around quite a lot, though we came a little late to the party and we weren’t really part of that scene, apart from perhaps Skindred. We did play with them from time to time. Benji even did a cameo on one of our B-sides, which I incidentally will be re-released in the coming months through Spotify (shameless plug)…”

You left your mark with the release of your debut album “Tale Of 2 Cities” back in 2002, an album that’s become somewhat of a cult-classic…you delivered so many top tracks like “Learning To Let Go”, “Here 4 You” and that’s without the singles you released…it was a quality album from start to finish and at the time, arguably criminally underrated. Looking back, are you proud of the album still? With hindsight is there anything you wish you'd done differently or not done at all?

“Ha, Is it really a cult classic?  I suppose that just means that not many people have heard it, but the ones that have, love it? Well, I think that’s a good a definition! We are always proud of what we achieved, and looking back now there are things that we could’ve done differently, but it is what it is. We are certainly better musicians and performers now, older, slightly wiser. We are better than ever!”

Much to the dismay of your fans, it was to be your only album, there was and still is genuine disappointment surrounding that, what happened following the initial release and collectively what have you guys been up to during the time that’s passed?

“2002 was a pretty hectic year for us. What with recording the album in the USA and touring, I reckon we probably did around 250 gigs that year, we were pretty worn out and jaded by the end of it. By Christmas 2002 we were dropped from the record company. Shortly after that, around February 2003 we were offered a support slot on tour with STEVE-O from JACKASS. The first gig on the tour was in London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. Let’s just say that the place was full of teenage boys trying to outdo each other and the place was crazy. I remember walking onto the stage with some kids shouting “I’ve puked and pissed on your guitar!”.....I thought to myself, “yeah, whatever”.....but as I walked over to my treasured guitar on stage, glistening under the stage lights with our intro music pumping out over the PA, I picked it up and I felt it slip out of my hand a little. The rest of the guys were taking their places on stage looking similarly concerned as I was. I put the guitar around my neck to realise, that the shouts from the kids at the front of the stage were not just the sounds of youthful banter, but they had actually thrown puke onto the stage. We played for around 20-30 minutes whilst being assaulted by various bodily fluids and projectiles before ending the show wondering what the hell had just happened...

All our gigs up until that point (apart from one gig in Barry Island where we had a little scuffle with one of the local knobbers) had been fantastic experiences, playing with PINK, HUNDRED REASONS, PITCHSHIFTER and various festivals such as Reading and Leeds. But, having just lost our record label, being worn out, and the Shepherds Bush gig was the final straw. That was the last time that we played together on stage. (As of Nov 2018)
Following this we all went on to have normal jobs, leading normal lives, buying houses, raising kids etc etc. Between us we’ve been doing Drug Rehab Work, NHS Management, Stats Office Management, Store Assistants, Carpenters, Youth Workers and Bus Drivers.

While living the 9-5 we’ve still had other musical projects, such as Nic’s Hip Hop stuff;- Applied Science and Knights Of Boom. Elliot has been in almost every band in South Wales from 2003 to current day, such as The Guns, Smiling Tigers to name a couple. Myself and Elliot also performed in Ice Cold In Alex and have new project CATALYSTS. You can find these on Spotify, Apple Music etc."

Now in 2018, nostalgia is ripe and it’s an exciting time for KST fans….Recently (Oct 13th 2018) you re-released your album marking International Cassette Store Day…very much like Record Store Day it celebrates physical format and independent outlets across the country, and to mark the occasion people can now find your debut album on cassette as a limited edition for collectors. How did this come to light and who got the ball rolling to make this happen?

“Well that was serendipitous event back in the summer where I put an old demo tape of ours (Actually originally it was on mini disc but I’ve recently got into cassettes) on eBay to see if anyone would be interested in it. Pretty soon after listing, Ant from Lavender Sweep Records in Swansea messaged me if we’d be interested in releasing the demos for international cassette store day. The plan was to release the demos. As it turned out we decided to keep some of the demos and to re-release the album instead. We contacted our old record company and I must say they have been really helpful and supportive to hear that we’ve reformed. So they agreed to let Lavender Sweep produce a limited run for CSD. There are still a small number available if you are interested!”

If that wasn’t enough, you’ve also been rehearsing for some select reunion shows and have even talked about releasing a collection of B-Sides and rarities…tracks like “You Never Know” getting the deserved chance to shine…clearly the energy is positive; what’s it like having the band back together?

“It’s been fantastic! And this time we’re doing it for ourselves, by ourselves and our main goal is to create music and have a good time. We’ve succeeded at that, so we will keep surfing the new KST wave.”

With the talk of the B-Sides project, coupled with the Cassette Store Day release, the level of activity in the KST camp is exciting…fans have to ask, what’s next? Is the motivation there to maybe get together and write again? Maybe more live shows down the line? Or is this purely a nostalgia trip for the fans?
 
 “We’ve recently been in the studio with the Producer Legend that is Romesh Dodangoda. We will be releasing a single in the New Year from that session. For KST live? We’ll see how our first show in nearly 16 years goes on the 14th December 2018! It’s sold out so it seems there’s appetite for the KST. I think we just might have to think about a show in the New Year, maybe even new material. You Never Know…”

Dave, thank you so much for the chat, all the best for the up-coming projects and more importantly, welcome back!

“Are they human? Are they wolves?” – Wait, what? This is going to be fucking great I can already tell let me read some more of this… “Their looks may be deceiving and even comical at first glance, but they have incredible brain power and a superhuman physique”…I just did a legit LOL. In case you’re wondering, this isn’t the plot synopsis to some low-budget Lycanthrope movie; it is in fact the back story to one of the biggest bands currently tearing up the Far East! If I may, allow me to continue; “Such superb abilities enabled them to carry out the planet’s most challenging top secret missions, and made them untouchable by the world’s fearsome and powerful leaders including Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, and Ivan the Terrible.”…this is incredible…this is absolutely incredible, let me just compose myself for a minute.

The band in question is MAN WITH A MISSION and the Shibuya based 5-piece (Consisting of vocalist Tokyo Tanaka, guitarist/rapper Jean-Ken Johnny, bassist Kamizake Boy, drummer Spear Rib and DJ Santa Monica) are collectively one of the most relevant and loved rock bands in Asia today, selling out arena’s all over the continent, having racked up millions of streams and views on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube…but over the past year they’ve been broadening their horizons and have reached out further afield. Some of you may recognise them from their tour slot supporting DON BROCO recently but  now in 2018 they’ve released their first international album; the appropriately titled “Chasing The Horizon”. The question is are these wolf men leading the pack, or just barking mad?

The international release itself has a couple of exclusive bonus tracks for those of us outside of Japan, which includes “Mr. Bad Mouth”, “The Anthem” and “Brave It Out”…the former is a well-worked combination of pulsing, bass-driven electronica and an up-tempo, rocking chorus which in places resembles the likes of FOZZY, but that’s really not a bad thing, while the latter uses a more R’n’B / rap-inspired approach to its verses with the guitars and synths layered throughout, “The Anthem” sadly click-baits you into expecting something big and bold, but what you DO get is a morose ballad type track which is very anti-anthem if anything…though it’s message is positive so it’s not all bad, just a tad disappointing.

The rest of the album features a selection of singles that MWAM have previously released and to be fair this is quite an impressive repertoire…”Take Me Under” for example is wonderfully infectious piece of synth driven alt. rock with plenty of melody  and sing along qualities…”Dead End In Tokyo” has the additional appeal of having FALL OUT BOY front-man Patrick Stump on the writing credits, which makes sense when you listen to it, it’s got that certain distinction in tone…sticking to pop-culture references, wrestling fans may recognise “Break The Contradictions” from NJPW’s recent G1 Climax, the track being selected as its theme; with all of its clap-along charm it’s a really enjoyable track, before “Dog Days” give-off a more drum & bass vibe for a really up-beat slab of rhythmic techno. The only real downside I can find really is “Freak It!” which features the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra…the brass-sections coupled with the progressive jazz elements don’t really sit too well with the almost stop / start pacing of the track and really it just comes across as a failed experiment. All in all for an international debut it’s a shame…a shame because they’re actually a really good band underneath the furry gimmick and ideally we could have heard more of them sooner, and their back catalogue is well worth exploring. Definitely a recommended record, why couldn’t we get these guys instead of fucking BABYMETAL?!?!?! [8]

Today we’re going to be looking at an artist from the lovely folks over at FiXT. Now, it’s been a while since I’ve covered any of their releases, not that they don’t get in touch, but when they do more often than not it’s usually singles and remixes (So many remixes) that I generally don’t cover here, but, FiXT in case  you may not know from past reviews, is the brainchild of producer extraordinaire Klayton of CELLDWELLER fame (As well as SCANDROID, CIRCLE OF DUST and even FREQGEN, honestly the man doesn’t sleep) and they specialise in studio-based experimental crossover music, primarily focusing on bridging rock and electronica…and while Klayton has those four projects of his own on the roster himself, slowly but surely they are expanding, gradually adding more outside artists to the mix. Recently they asked me to check out a brand new member of their roster by the name of THE ANIX so naturally, I obliged and…here’s what I discovered.

Formed in 2001 by Los Angeles based artist Brandon Smith, The Anix was initially a band-orientated project playing live shows up and down LA before their debut album “Demolition City” dropped in 2008…this led to a stint on CLEOPATRA Records and several more albums, but they remained relatively underground to the wider audience. Now in 2018, The Anix is signed to FiXT as a one-man project in which Brandon himself takes the role of composer, producer and mixer and he’s recently released album number six; “Shadow_Movement”, his FiXT roster debut…let’s see if it takes him out of those shadows and into the spotlight.

The album opens up with “Race To Nowhere” which sets us up with the albums concepts of a dystopian cyberpunk universe…a glorified intro piece, the lyrics simply repeat “Out in the end, racing to nowhere I’m gonna crash through” over futuristic, ambient techno and it does the job of setting the listener up for a journey, serving no purpose other than basically providing deus ex machina for the records overall concept. First track-proper “Fight The Future” however gets going then with a sultry dose of dark synth pop and deep electronica…it’s quite methodical and quite cold, with the majority of Brandon’s vocals delivered in a hushed manner aside from the chorus which provides more melody. In ways it’s easy to see why Klayton signed The Anix as this sounds incredibly similar to something Scandroid would put out…I won’t lie at first I thought it WAS Klayton on vocals for this too!

Over the rest of the albums 15 tracks what becomes apparent is that this is an album of two halves, with the first half providing much better results and lead single “This Machine” being a particular highlight.  Much more up-tempo it initially takes on an almost EISBRECHER-inspired tone, before it marches on with an infectious, percussion led dose of electro-rock, spitting out all of the hooks. Incredibly rhythmic, this machine is well oiled and fires on all cylinders, great stuff this. “Come Back Down” goes down a similar path but is generally softer, though loses none of its rhythm or groove, opting for pop-based production qualities, it’s really rather catchy. “Interchanger” and “Overdrive” again go for the easy-listening retro-pop vibe and the similarities to label-mate Scandroid are prominent once more, but that’s not detrimental, while “Open Fire” has subtle touches of electronic icons DEPECHE MODE with its deep fuzzy synths and general tempo; it’s for the most part deeper and you can’t help but want to hear what Dave Gahan would do with this.

The second half of the album however sadly tapers off and you can’t help but debate that age old conundrum of quantity vs quality. With a handful of tracks resorting to no more than instrumental pieces, such as “Clouds” and closing track “Strategy X” being so short compared to the rest of the track list, it makes you wonder if they really NEED to be there at all. The former is just filler, all grey and overcast, allowing no light, while the latter is less strategy x, more strategy exit; swiftly evacuate my eardrums please, you serve me no purpose or enjoyment. Other tracks like “Ghost” disappoint too with its low-fi trance tones and repetition, asking are YOU a ghost? I don’t know let me go ask Scooby-Doo…that’s how seriously I take this track, while “Pendulum” just makes me wish I was in fact listening to PENDULUM, which would be much better. Overall while not perfect per se, it’s nice to see a fresh face on the FiXT roster, as variety is the spice of life after all. Granted a lot of this does already sound a lot like Scandroid at times like I’ve already said, but it is Brandon’s debut on this label and maybe he’s just trying to fit in while still doing his own thing, I mean, an annex itself is something only a LITTLE different after all. [7]

The place you grow up, the place you call home very often has an impact on your outlook on life, easily shaping who you can become, and this can ring true with certain styles of music too. Just take BLACK SABBATH for instance, out of the poverty of working class Birmingham in the late 60’s and early 70’s, they arguably crafted heavy metal as we know it today; using their surroundings and social standing to fuel their bleak brand of heavier blues rock…well this can also be said of today’s band; THE BALANCE FACTOR. Formed in Gary, Indiana, just 25 miles outside of Chicago, The Balance Factor (Consisting of vocalist John Yaney, guitarists Heath Reid and Jason Zeilstra, bassist Aaron Brown and drummer Jonas Doran) have for years been surrounded by a booming steel industry, that over time faded away through job loss, political corruption and racial segregation, as America looked to import cheaper steel, killing industrial cities such as Gary.

Very much like Ozzy and co before them however, they’ve put all this to good use and started writing music which leads us to the here and now; following on from 2016’s debut album “Here I Am”, they return with a brand new EP by the name of “Ouroboros”…perfectly summing up their situation and up-bringing with a symbolic gesture of creation born from destruction…artistically poignant, or are they just chasing their own tails? Let’s find out…The EP opens up with the imaginatively titled “Introduction” and to be honest; while I’m not a fan of intro’s generally I do appreciate the no-nonsense approach here. The minute and a half of TV static, broken channel reception and police sirens portraying a state of unrest and uncertainty; a level of chaos, as it transitions into lead single “Killafornia”…and god how I wish Arnold Schwarzenneger was a part of this. It’s a word tailor made for a Terminator parody that hopefully AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE will pick up someday. The track itself is a brilliantly rugged blend of hard rock and early 2000’s nu-metal; it's coarse production quality with a more melodic chorus combining elements that would appeal to the likes of ORGY and at points MUSHROOMHEAD; a promising start.

Follow up track “Hypochondriac” jumps straight out of that same era quite frankly with its underlying techno elements and angst-ridden style of riff-heavy rock…a little repetitive for the most part and the vocals do seem off during the chorus, but the guitar solo delivers well it has to be said, an unexpected surprise in an otherwise grating track. “Arrows In My Heart”, the longest on offer here is itself too let down by some off-putting vocals…again harking back to Orgy, they’ve opted for an almost, mechanical /  filtered vocal recording but John’s no Jay Gordon I’ll say that much, he’s too off-key too often. The sudden switch then to album highlight “Die For Another Day” is very welcome, as it opens up with an almost trad-goth / post-punk guitar tone, with layers of piano giving it extra character, coupled with the chorus’ rhythmic hooks and a more pop-based vibe, it’s incredibly catchy while still retaining the raw rock elements, before closing track “Taken By Surprise” sounds like it could have easily been taken out of the “Queen Of The Damned” soundtrack, musically having similarities to “Redeemer” in places, rounding things up on a somewhat nostalgic note.

The band themselves cite influences such as NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON and TOOL but listening to this EP we find them to be nowhere near as profound or creatively edgy, and instead we find them more closely resembling the lesser end of the Nu-metal gene pool…I mentioned Orgy but you’ve also got the likes of ADEMA and POWERMAN 5000 layered within these songs, bands that saturated a trend as opposed to setting one. Yes it’s nice to listen back fondly to that era, but to ironically paraphrase Trent Reznor, it’s just a copy of a copy of an already ridiculed genre. Silver linings, The Balance Factor are still better than the fucking X factor…[6]

Omne trium perfectum…no, before you ask I’ve not been to Hogwarts and that isn’t a spell for perfectly cooked three-egg omelettes…but it is in fact the Latin for ‘the rule of three’. As the saying goes, the best things come in three’s, at least that’s the common conception anyway, and what better way to explore this, than the trusty trilogy…let’s look at some examples. There’s the pioneering “Carnosaur”, that so heavily influenced “Jurassic Park” to the point that came out just FOUR WEEKS later, so inspired was Spielberg…there’s the “Star Wars” prequels with the phenomenal Jar Jar Binks…and then there’s “Jackass”, which has some of the strongest story telling ever put to the big screen. What’s that? I’m being facetious? Me?

The point I’m trying to make is that for everything that’s good in the world, it’ll have an opposite, and that sometimes three isn’t necessarily always the magic number (Even one in some cases), and to explore this further today we’ll be looking at NINE INCH NAILS and the new mini-album “Bad Witch”. Front man Trent Reznor initially started messing around with some ideas back in 2016 which later became the EP “Not The Actual Events”, which was a decent extended play that followed “Hesitation Marks” really quite well thematically as a stand-alone slab of bonus NIN…but he went on to reveal it was to be the first of  trilogy. This was soon followed up by 2017’s “Add Violence” which despite starting strong, soon found itself going further down the electro-prog rabbit hole, before we wound up in there here and now. All that’s left to find out now is, on a scale of one to ten (One being Sabrina and ten being Gruntilda) how bad IS the witch?

We open up positively, and more importantly promisingly, with “Shit Mirror” and we’re instantly met with the gritty, grainy, riff-heavy bitterness that we’ve come to love from Reznor; his tortured vocals iconic as ever, while the clap-along percussion provides an up-beat tempo, yet it also harbours an almost QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE type bluesy, stoner rock vibe, subtly layered within…until a brief pause, before the track ends irritatingly on a loop, ultimately spoiling all initial momentum. “Ahead Of Ourselves” opts for a more pulsing, droning, drum ‘n’ bass approach…before slowly ascending into an almost, aggrotech barrage…combining Reznor’s penchant for the industrial with more jungle elements, before the instrumental “Play The Goddamned Part” takes us on a journey of disorientating, progressive jazz-infused electronica…the psychedelic jam-session rich in distortion and the use of brass is on the verge of haunting as it relentlessly pierces your ears.

This continues with “God Break Down The Door” and while it retains certain drum ‘n’ bass elements it also contains certain qualities found in DAVID BOWIE’s “Blackstar”…albeit more up-tempo. The tone, the vibe, the almost trance-like nature of its delivery, backed up with those soft jazz influences, it almost finds itself bridging the two all the while remaining entirely separate concepts and entities. “I’m Not From This World” is another instrumental that works on the gradual build; appropriately sounding much like a score from a sci-fi movie, you could easily imagine being stalked along the decks of a space station to this before getting brutally skull-fucked by an alien…before closing track “Over And Out” brings us back down to Earth with its long, drawn-out, sweeping dreamscapes. So how bad is this witch? Upon first listen, it’s an uncomfortable and frustrating wall of noise and ideas mangled into a 30 minute record, and although repeat listens do draw out its nuances, this is more of an art-rock piece that needs your undivided attention, as oppose to an album with choice cuts. On that scale of 1 to 10, I wouldn’t go as far as Gruntilda, but I certainly wouldn’t need to think twice about dropping a house on this son of a witch and stealing her ruby slippers…[4]

If I were to maybe, oh I don’t know, chime in with some lyrics? Maybe something along the lines of…“I chime in with a ‘haven’t you people heard of, closing the god damn door?’”…a lot of you are going have flashbacks to those early emo years of the mid to late 2000’s, and many of you are going to fondly remember how bands like PANIC! AT THE DISCO ruled the airwaves. Well, you may have washed away the eyeliner, cut off your fringe and grown out of all of that since, but you wouldn’t be the only one…front man Brendan Urie has more or less done the same. While alternative rock music has gone through its trends following the emo outbreak, such as the huge metalcore boom, Brendan has very much gone on his own path, in more ways than one. Back in 2016 he released “Death Of A Bachelor” as pretty much the sole remaining member of P!ATD, and long gone were the soaring emo-rock anthems like “I Write Sins…” and “The Ballad Of Mona Lisa”, instead we had a man reinvigorated by the creative process; playing and writing everything himself, toying with ideas and musical avenues, and it paid off with the album doing incredibly well commercially, even though it continued on its clear departure from their original sound.

His new found creative freedom and exploration of pop music theatrics led him to the stage where he did a stint performing for the west end musical “Kinky Boots” and it’s here where we also find P!ATD in 2018 for album number six; “Pray For The Wicked”. Still the sole original member, here we find Brendan allowing his love of all things Broadway to consume P!ATD as he writes freely; full of glee and gay abandon, but does it work for the ol’ disco? Let’s find out…

We rather starkly open up with “(Fuck A) Silver Lining” and despite its initial 50’s feel we quickly transition into Brendan’s bold vocals and a rich, rhythmic jazz piece, but there are also elements of funk as well as early hip-hop layered within the percussion and it’s a real smorgasbord…lyrically it’s heavily focused on those silver linings, coupled with those “Cherries on top”, it’s a message of dissatisfaction; never settle for what you have and don’t be placated by those sweet cherries, you can always strive for more, you can always do better, and this song pushes for that, a possible nod to the bands evolution too if you will. Follow up track “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” has certain elements of religious confliction…housing the album’s title in its chorus, it’s as though he’s suggesting even the righteous need nights off, you can’t save everyone, it’s the weekend, let them do what they want...so while you may not condone ones behaviour, not everyone is your responsibility all the time, and understanding that doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person…and I have to point out the high note at the songs climax, for want of a better phrase, JESUS CHRIST!

The rest of the album pretty much continues with this eccentric and essentially extravagant tone throughout, with Brendan really firing on all cylinders…only those cylinders come packed full of confetti and are accompanied by a full parade, backing dancers, a circus act and marching band. “Roaring 20’s” has this low-key Latin-jazz vibe at its core and highlight’s his experience on Broadway, at this young stage of his life how did end up here so to speak. Album apogee “One Of The Drunks” highlights the dependence society has on substances, the reliance on alcohol and the idea of ‘partying’ to love life, and it’s a powerful song of reflection amidst it’s electronic r’n’b…”The Overpass” again is rich with a heavy brass-driven funk influence, before closing track “Dying In LA” rounds things off with a morose piano ballad; closing the show with a tearjerker before curtains and to be honest Brendan plays to one of his strengths here; his voice. The less-is-more approach musically allows him to pour all the more passion into this, and accompanied by the string sections it’s a lovely little song. Overall while this may be a different band from what you remember from your youth; Brendan does compensate the lack of guitars with an abundance of energy and positivity and while they’ve subtly changed album by album, Brendan’s creative flare is forever a constant and he has to be admired for his daring to explore music. Let’s face it…not many rock stars would swap the sweaty gigs for the glitz and glamour of playing a drag queen in a west end musical, then come back and incorporate that into their day job…that takes some glitter balls! On face value, it’s a fun record as a whole but, it’s not one that’ll stick in your memory on the strength of any single standout songs. [6]

​On July 20th, 2017…the world of music, not just rock and metal, was stunned into silence following the suicide of LINKIN PARK’s Chester Bennington. No one saw it coming; and the torrent of tears was matched only by the sheer level of positivity in fond memories and condolences…for Chester was the voice of a generation, the reason why so many of us, myself included, got into alternative music in the first place and nobody could comprehend what had happened. As we all very publicly grieved, and as the tears dried, a sudden and further saddening realisation struck us all; what would happen to Linkin Park? This to many may seem like a selfish thought, but let’s not forget they were one of the biggest bands in the world, far beyond the pigeonholes of genre, everybody knew Linkin Park…and they were now facing an uncertain future, or even no future at all. These thought’s plagued the mind of band-mate MIKE SHINODA who struggled to come to terms with what had happened and had a hard time processing it all…until this year that is. He’s recently released a solo album appropriately titled “Post Traumatic” in a cathartic attempt to deal with it all…let’s join him in paying our respects to the late and sincerely fucking great, Chester Bennington…

The album opens up with “Place To Start” and it perfectly sums up Shinoda’s frame of mind heading into this record...the subdued tone of the low-fi hip-hop gives off a deeply emotional aura of sadness, the hopelessness of not having control in life and the disorientation of not knowing where life goes from here…this is reinforced by a series of voicemail messages from close friends offering condolences following Chester’s death and it’s so very raw and real and you can’t help shed a tear here…a truly painful start. “Over Again” follows up next and here it’s so sombre; it has a level of frustration as we get a glimpse into what’s going through Shinoda’s mind ahead of Chester’s tribute show…having to mourn not only your band-mate but your close friend, but having to be professional and join the grieving public when there’s so much running through your mind; it must have been such an incredibly difficult time for the whole band and everyone close to Chester, which is something we as fans take for granted, thinking only of the music, and not the human beings behind it all; you can hear the agitation in his lyrics, the frustration and he sounds like a man on breaking point…such an effective track.

Album highlight “Nothing Makes Sense Anymore” is an incredibly simplistic, electro-driven pop number that would have easily made its way onto “Living Things” back in 2012 for example…made all the more powerful by its music video, it acts as a perfect metaphor for the aftermath of Chester’s passing, with Shinoda seeming lost, trudging through ash and dirt following a wildfire; looking for answers but finding nothing but suffering and it’s incredibly emotional. This can also be said for “Hold It Together” which highlights the struggles it caused Shinoda in his personal life and how he has absolutely no idea how to cope; to deal, and despite the tracks up-beat delivery it’s a very raw and honest piece, while “Running From My Shadow” tackles the idea of moving on, or the struggles met with wanting to move on but not knowing how to, almost afraid to…with a sense of guilt or loyalty to the memories shared.

The album continues and overall, over the 16 tracks you can’t help but feel that little bit closer to Shinoda upon hearing these songs…so rare is it that an artist can produce out of grief, pain, confusion and ultimately love…and it resonates so strikingly with the listener. As I said previously, Chester touched so many lives and put so, so many of us down this path of rock ‘n’ roll he really did feel like part of an extended family, and this album not only perfectly sums up our own thoughts and feelings which we all share with Shinoda on some level, but it does Chester justice…he was always about the art and the expression and even in the difficulty over the last year, I’d like to think that Chester would be proud of Shinoda for this record, because it certainly wasn’t an easy one to make. If anything I can conclude this with at all, is if you’re having a hard time in life, whatever the reasons, please talk to someone, you are loved and you are cared about, it’s OK to have a little help, and this album could potentially be a good place of encouragement. Thank you, Mike Shinoda, and, RIP Chester. [8]

The UK music scene in the 90’s was an interesting place to be it has to be said…less of an exotic cocktail and more of a dirty pint if anything. At one end of the spectrum we had a rising popularity in girl/boy bands, spearheaded by the likes of SPICE GIRLS and TAKE THAT…at the other end we had the dawn of a new era of darkness by means of the freshly malformed CRADLE OF FILTH and MY DYING BRIDE, and somewhere in the middle of it all, MR. BLOBBY managed a Christmas number 1, I shit you not. The main talking point however was always Britpop, which was of course famously established by the war between BLUR and OASIS, but at the turn of the century when tastes all changed, bands either sank or swam…Blur front-man Damon Albarn however didn’t just swim, he evolved, grew legs, left the pond and changed the concept of performance art as we knew it…he created GORILLAZ.

Consisting of fictional members 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel, the “group” existed entirely in animated cartoon form and was spawned from Albarn’s growing appreciation for electronic and world hip-hop music, and they made their breakthrough in 2001 via their self-titled debut album and the mega hit “Clint Eastwood”, never looking back, only growing in success with further singles along the road like “Dare” and “Feel Good Inc.” until their eventual hiatus. 2017 saw them return with 26-track behemoth “Humanz” but 2018 sees them back already with the follow up album “The Now Now”…the question is, is it the good good?

We open up with the album’s lead single “Humility” which features famed jazz-guitarist George Benson and what we’ve got is a quirky little, low-fi synth pop piece…laid back in approach combining ambient funk and subtle reggae influences for a very fresh, Summery vibe. This is backed up by the music video, inspired by the Santa Monica lifestyle; carefree and easy-going, and it speaks of the inner struggles of failed romance and yearning, though not entirely serious with Jack Black doing, well, Jack Black things. It’s an OK start…follow up track “Tranz” however is a completely different kettle of fish. Whilst simple in structure and approach it’s got a definite, retro electronic tone musically combining the simplicity of KRAFTWERK and the edgier, darker tones of DEPECHE MODE, all the while utilising some really catchy pop hooks and it works wonderfully, this is easily an album highlight.

Sadly however, highlights over these 11 tracks exist in much the same way Harambe does; i.e. he doesn’t, not anymore anyway (RIP you majestic beast). “One Percent” harbours soft synth melodies that wouldn’t feel out of place in a scene from “Stranger Things”, while “Lake Zurich” is another up-beat, primarily disco / funk-driven instrumental for the most part and it has to be said, on the track “Hollywood”, it’s always good to hear a bit of SNOOP DOGG (Even though the guy will work with almost anyone, refer to my old COREY FELDMAN review for that)…the rest of the album however sadly lacks any real sort of momentum. “Idaho” is structured very much like a dreamscape which would not only put you to sleep, but the sheep you were counting too. “Fire Flies” strikes me as purely ironic and cruel as I’ve literally just reviewed an OWL CITY album and this track actually makes me miss that, before closing track “Souk Eye” rounds things up with some more dreary pop. Damon Albarn is a talented song writer and creator, that’s not in question, but there were days he used to write with a sense of positivity and fun, with more LIFE…lately this project sounds like he’s either half asleep or stoned, or both…honestly, take the W’s off of the album title and it’ll be more appropriate. [3]

I want you to cast your minds back just for a moment, to the year 2009…what a weird year in pop music that was. LADY GAGA exploded onto the world’s music scene with her debut album / virtual hit-factory “The Fame”…inspiring young women everywhere to dress like absolute twats…weeks before his massive come-back tour, MICHAEL JACKSON passes away from accidental overdose, making sure you double-checked your own prescription or else you too would be moonwalking to the morgue (On a serious note that was a bit unexpected)…SUSAN BOYLE became a thing, no really, that actually happened…and a little known artist by the name of OWL CITY would dominate the airwaves with THAT song “Fireflies”…seriously it was everywhere, like a synth-pop plague, going 19x platinum worldwide…you must remember, surely? I digress…following the immediate success of Owl City’s (Real name Adam Young) debut, he seemingly faded away…but he didn’t disappear. In addition to having worked on numerous film soundtracks including “The Croods” and “Wreck-It Ralph”, he now returns with his SIXTH studio album; “Cinematic”…shall we see what owl the fuss is about?

The album kicks off with “Fiji Water” and such is the innocent charm of the simplistic electronica I honestly thought this was inspired by the ‘Human Music’ from "Rick And Morty"…I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Jerry wasn’t singing this himself! Jokes aside, it combines the unsullied tinkling’s of a baby’s cot mobile stylistically with the sickly sweet vocals…the chorus is catchy enough and this is harmless pop music with some pleasant little hooks; a pretty safe start. Speaking of choruses, “Montana” delivers well with what could musically find itself at home on LINKIN PARKS’s “One More Light” album, naturally he’s no Chester but aesthetically it wouldn’t feel out of place, you can easily imagine Shinoda accompanying this.

Despite being known for the easy-listening electronica, there are a couple of tracks that utilise a more guitar driven approach…”Be Brave” being the first offering. Initially a delicate piano led piece, it takes advantage of the slow-build and gradually becomes this emotive, emo-rock track and it’s genuinely enjoyable as it kicks into gear. “Firebird” then swaps the piano for the acoustic strings and again, the hooks on this chorus are pretty infectious, allowing for a clear album highlight. This too can be said for “Lucid Dream” which when it gets going embraces a total European dance-pop characteristic…in the right hands a potential floor-filler this. By contrast then, the cutely titled “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” is a wonderful little tribute to his father via an acoustic ballad; equal parts nostalgic admiration and present-day appreciation.

While the tracks I’ve highlighted have their own charms and attributes…we can’t ignore the fact that, at eighteen tracks long…this is a lot of synth-pop to get through and given the very often butter-wouldn’t-melt level of innocence within the vocals and poppier-than-thou electronica, it can become overwhelming to the point of nausea. “House Wren” for example is just so incredibly corny, lyrically it makes my ears cringe…”Winners Never Quit” ironically made me want to abandon this review but I’m in too deep now…this might even make Charlie Sheen quit and he INVENTED winning! Aside from some alternate versions of tracks, the album officially closes on the title track and essentially it’s like an excuse to use a lot of movie-themed metaphors and analogies…no more. Essentially here, Owl City haven’t really changed one iota…their sweet electro-pop is still on the verge of troubling diabetics…while they can clearly still produce infectious, radio-conquering tunes, this album in its entirety is for want of a better word; excessive. [5]

With the odd couple of exceptions, generally you’ll find that bands who have been together for a lengthy period of time usually start to mellow out at some stage in their career. Only recently I was saying this about the MANIC STREET PREACHERS who have lost some of their original punk-rock attitude in middle age…and this can be said too for artists such as ANATHEMA for example; originally a Gothic / doom metal outfit, over the years they evolved into the ambient, progressive band they are today (Check out “The Optimist” if you haven’t already). Well this can also be said about today’s band; let me introduce you to MANES. Formed in Trondheim, Norway back in 1992, they were originally part of the 90’s black metal scene alongside the likes of SATYRICON and IMMORTAL but over the years they’ve toned down into what’s been described as a bastardisation of rock, electronica and progressive jazz. The last time we heard from them was back in 2011 with what WAS to be their final album; “Be All End All”…but 2018 sees them return with the brand new album “Slow Motion Death Sequence”. Available through Debemur Morti Productions from August 24th…lets check it out…

We open up with “Endetidstegn” which more or less translates as ‘end-time signs’ and thematically kicks off the start of this death sequence on a dark, apocalyptic note. It’s slow and dramatic with minimal electronica and percussion, with vocals soaked in melancholy, though it picks up with some intense, dramatic, looming power chords and double kick drums, and the track develops a serious sense of foreboding…this album isn’t going to be a walk in the park let me tell you…and if it were, it would be at night in the middle of The Purge whilst you’re stalked by sociopaths. “Scion” follows up and it’s more of the slow, cold synths, with vocalist Asgeir Hatlen here giving it an 80’s alternative indie vibe; however its slow tempo makes the track feel like it lasts an eternity, with the repetition not helping one iota.

The album overall is fairly consistent in tone and approach, rarely veering from its path but it does have its few interesting points; “Therapism” utilises a moody, almost darkwave inspired tone…the creeping electronica occasionally pierced by assertive guitars, the use of single chords is simple yet effective and though while it does have a feeling of gradual build it never really puts it’s foot down, while “Building The Ship Of Theseus” returns to that almost post-punk, alternative 80’s vibe, aesthetically in ways slotting in between the likes of  BAUHAUS and NICK CAVE…but sadly the rest of the record struggles to capture much attention. At seven and a half minutes, “Last Resort” sums itself up nicely, as a long-winded dreary acoustic-led piece and I really would only consider listening to this as a last resort…oh how I wished this was a PAPA ROACH cover...wouldn't that be fun...“Ater” then closes the album on what is essentially an avant-garde instrumental bar some minimal lyricism, and it’s a despairingly slow one at that, the last breath of this album escaping into the ether. Conceptually, as a listener I have to agree with the album’s title here because this truly is a slow motion death sequence…for generally it’s such a dull, miserable album…imagine yourself or, someone, anyone, in a time-lapse montage, just sat there, motionless, going from young adult, to being frail and elderly, before just succumbing to time and death itself; that’s what this album sounds like and it would perfectly accompany that montage in tone, for both conceptually are as equally sad and boring as the other. [3]

It’s been a couple of years since we’ve heard from THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS…not since 2013’s head-turning, art-rock concept album “Love Lust Faith + Dreams” in fact, which, while at least critically praised for its experimental qualities, was a drastic switch from their established grandiose emo-rock…so why the gap? Well aside from a Guinness World Record holding tour of over 300+ dates, front-man Jared Leto returned to acting for a string of successful supporting roles, (If you exclude his attempt at The Joker in “Suicide Squad”) most notably his appearance in “Dallas Buyers Club” for which he won ALL of the awards! Seriously, he won fucking everything! Now, after their five year absence, 30STM return with yet another concept via album number five entitled “America”.

Before we delve into the music here I have to point out the concept begins with the album cover itself and the band have seemingly opted to appeal to fans of Pokemon, honestly, collectors beware Jared wants your money! Despite being arguably the worst album art of the year, aesthetically anyway, the idea was that there would be lists comprising of what makes America “America”…and along with creative director Willo Perren, 200 were made…TWO HUNDRED! Luckily that was whittled down to six, but still, do we even want ONE copy of this album let alone six? That’s what we’re about to find out…

We get underway with lead single “Walk On Water” and we’re immediately met with anthemic gang vocal harmonies, backed by a rhythmic, sultry dose of electronica…the production here is so clean and it really sounds big, it’s like Jared has been listening to a lot of IMAGINE DRAGONS for example, and if that wasn’t enough in its own right it’s a very socially-politically charged song, with the video lost somewhere between being on the tourist board and having a random stab at propaganda…but it’s a decent start to be fair. “One Track Mind” features the first of two collaborations, with A$AP ROCKY lending his lungs to this one…an incredibly smooth, low-bap style of contemporary hip-hop, it’s layered with ambient percussion and a cold autotune-rich vocal delivery, with Rocky’s contribution itself being rather minor, though the restrained rapping does add texture before the very 80’s guitar solo ends the track on a high point. An instrumental piece “Monolith” then gradually builds up with some tribal drumming and snarling electronica, before it’s intense, dramatic, almost cinematic climax…leading into the utterly anti-climactic “Love Is Madness” featuring second collaborator HALSEY. Despite its powerful, emotive chorus, it’s quite a dull, stripped back electro-pop track, it really is a disappointment, and you’d swear they were doing this on purpose…

The rest of the album…? Well…just like several of the countries amendments, there’s plenty on this record that could do with a rethink. “Rescue Me” has elements of THE POLICE and the best thing going for it is its title because it really does need rescuing…”Dawn Will Rise”…if I’m to be frank even the Sun itself would struggle to get up for this one, it’s so lacklustre, “Remedy” while at least being a half-decent little acoustic piece is a far cry from the bombastic, passionate displays we know Jared can deliver which by now we sorely miss, before “Rider” ends the album quicker than you can find the word ‘abrupt’ in the dictionary…seriously, it’s like someone put the album out of its OWN misery. OK, yes, you can’t keep a band pigeonholed and 30STM have once again tried something a little different, but in essence they’ve gone and done a LINKIN PARK. As accessibly mainstream this record is in the modern climate, it’s as though they’re OK with losing chunks of their original fan base for another chart position. Jared is lucky he’s a handsome man and he’s got young girls getting all 30 seconds to moist queuing for their records, but musically this is just lazy. Make America great again? Start small…make “America” decent first is it lads… [3]

As you’re likely to be well aware by now if you’re a long-time reader of this blog, I have bit of a soft spot for Finnish bands; there’s just something unique about their blend of Gothic, melancholia infused music, with their penchant for all things doom and gloom…and whether it’s the dark pop hooks of HIM, the symphonic bombardment of NIGHTWISH or the riff-heavy pummeling of POISONBLACK, there’s always been something personally alluring about Suomalainen vaihtoehtoinen musiikki. Today however we’re doing the old switcheroo and sampling some of Finland’s ironically less popular pop music, and a lady by the name of SAARA AALTO. If you’ve paid attention at all to my posts over the past couple of months you’ll already have picked up on the fact that Saara was this year’s Finnish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest (And was my personal favourite) but doing a little digging through the snow, we learn she’s far from a new kid on the block of ice…

Saara was born in Oulunsalo in 1987 and prior to this year’s Eurovision she was already a recognised name in some aspects as a voice actor, having done Finnish voice-overs for Disney’s “Frozen” and “Alice In Wonderland”…however singing has always been her passion and she’s actually been releasing music since 2011, having several independent albums under her belt, as well as multiple attempts at talent shows including “Talent Suomi” and “The Voice Of Finland”…even “The X Factor” here in the UK! Her trouble though was a case of that classic saying; always the bridesmaid, never the bride…coming in at 2nd place every single time. 2018 sees her try to rectify that with her first ever major label release through Warner Music; “Wild Wild Wonderland”…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with that Eurovision entry “Monsters” and honestly it’s still as fun as ever, despite being originally released in February. There isn’t really much I can add to this one from my preview of Lisbon truth be told; with the subtle electronica and temple block inspired synths, coupled with Saara’s bold, melodic vocals, with a soaring chorus this is a wonderful dance-pop tune and it still sounds fresh, a faultless start here really. “HӒN” follows up and we’ve got a really rhythmic, funk-inspired piece with brass elements, coupled with Saara’s assertive vocal presence, its brief but it is enjoyable. “Dance Like Nobody Is Watching” on face value would logically be a big, bright, colourful piece of music, focused on letting your hair down and partying but in reality it’s a sombre piano ballad, actually making it that much more powerful; a very emotive track and rich in reflection and self-confidence, resulting in an incredibly sweet listen, absolutely lovely stuff.

“My Touch” continues to pump out the dance-inspired soft pop but does incorporate subtle R’n’B influences throughout the pre-chorus, while elsewhere Saara dabbles in other cultural samples with “Walking On Nails” having a slight Spanish guitar tone to its acoustics, and bonus track “No Fear” utilises low-key classic Indian instrumentation to add character to an already up-beat, positive track. The rest of the album is pretty much consistent really…Saara’s had a decent writing team working with her for the record and all things considered this is a pretty congenial, albeit straightforward pop album. It’s got its highlights, though it does peak far too early with THAT song getting the album underway, but there’s nothing overtly negative to be said about the record in all fairness, it’s worth the listen. [7]

Over the past decade or so the UK has properly stepped up in terms of the whole culture surrounding underground urban music, ranging from hip-hop to rap, grime and alternative R’n’B with everyone from THE STREETS to LETHAL BIZZLE and recently STORMZY, all contributing to what is now a flourishing scene up and down the country. You may be wondering why I’m talking about this as I rarely if ever touch rap and it’s many umbrella terms, but, it didn’t put today’s artists off getting in touch with me via email…and being the open minded fellow that I am I decided to swap the breakdowns for the beats and broaden my musical horizons; allow me to introduce to you TOO MANY T’S. The London-based duo (Consisting of Ross Standaloft and Leon Rhymes) have been described as the UK’s answer to THE BEASTIE BOYS and have had several high-profile endorsements from the likes of ROB DA BANK and WU-TANG already, and not too long ago they released their hotly anticipated debut album “South City”…the lads asked me to check it out so the question is, how many T’s is too many? Let’s find out…

We open up with “South City Court” and it’s not long before we’re taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane (If memory lane was a dark city side-street in the wrong part of town)…this is very much drawn from old-school hip-hop with its swagger, tinny percussion and overall tone, it’s so easy to understand where the Beastie Boys comparisons come in to play it has to be said. With its crisp production yet simplistic approach it starts the album off really well. Follow up track “Sixty’s Ford” again opts for a less-is-more mind-set with a primarily percussion lead piece, with subtle electronic elements filtered through sparingly…the vocals are slick and stylistically here they’ve gone for a more jungle-infused grime track, coming off as slightly deeper, slightly darker.

There are several strong cuts spaced out over the course of the album in all fairness showcasing a variety of influences, highlighting the level of quality the UK has been churning out in recent times, “Diamond’s Gold (Ice, White & Black)” for example utilises a strong melodic hook during the pre-chorus that channels artists such as GORILLAZ while the rapping quality has an attitude to it that would appeal to fans of say, KANO or PROFESSOR GREEN…elsewhere then trilogy completing “1992 pt.3” (Which you may recognise from Camden Hell’s lager adverts) is an upbeat, brass infused piece that has a strong DIZZEE RASCAL vibe layered throughout. New single “Tearing Us Apart” is a much softer, rich, R’n’B ballad type piece that has a genuinely infectious groove, showing further diversity, before closing track “Start The Fire” rounds things up with a bold, brassy, pulsing, techno-heavy number, gradually coming down to an almost TWENTY ONE PILOTS inspired piece of alternative pop.

It’s not all bloodclart  quality though yeah you understand me fam? The ‘skits’ here are utterly pointless and serve the album no merit whatsoever, even on an artistic standpoint; “Sira’s Biscuits” and “FM Mangal” respectively as mundane as each other, if anything just highlighting the down-to-Earth mentality of the two but that’s scraping the barrel, other than that it’s a well delivered, diverse hip-hop album. Not my usual cup of ‘T’ (I’m sorry that really is one too many T’s) but definitely a recommended listen. [7]

At the risk of stating the obvious, I’m quite partial to a review…yes I spend a fair amount of my time writing up these blog entries and contributing to the team over at All About The Rock, but a lot of my free time is spent watching YouTube reviewers too; guys like Anthony Fantano, AVGN, Brandon Tenold and more recently I’ve stumbled upon a guy named Decker Shado; the internet personality with the best hair. He, like most internet movie reviewers has gone through the “Alien” franchise and having watched these particular videos over the last day or so, it’s only ironic that this next review has ties to the movie itself…thematically at least, let me explain…

​Allow me to introduce to you a band by the name of SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL and to utilise some professional wrestling terminology here, they’re ALL about the kayfabe. Hailing from Acheron LV-426, a moon orbiting Calpamos, 39 Light Years from Earth, from which the USCSS Nostromo picked up a distress signal, before its crew got face-hugged the fuck out of in the aforementioned movie “Alien”. Or, if you prefer…Rome, they’re from Rome, Italy. The intergalactic 5-piece (Consisting of vocalist Herma, bassist Big Daddy Ray, drummer Evey plus guitarists Lobo and Rev C2) apparently “crash landed” in the Italian capital after their spaceship; the BFS9000 suffered engine failure on their travels and they’re a bit stuck, but as luck would have it they’re a space-age musical circus freak-show and request your generosity in funding the repair costs by checking out their brand new album “Element Of Sex”. Clearly not endorsed in any way by the Weyland-Yuntani group, let’s see if they deserve our hard earned dollar…

We open up with “Fire True” and immediately we’re met with a dramatic, string-inspired synth sequence, verging on symphonic really, before we’re thrust right into the crunch of some thick, throwback nu-metal riffs. The heavy intensity and subtle electronic elements musically places this somewhere in deep space between KORN and CANE HILL, add to that then a slick guitar solo and overall we’ve got a decent opener here. Recent single “Megalomaniacal” is up next and it brings the tempo with it too, mixing raw, punk qualities via Herma’s cacophonous vocals, with a classic hard rocking rhythm…also the “Mortal Kombat” inspired arcade game video that accompanies it is a bit bonkers to boot; all in all a fun track. “All Wanna Go To Heaven” then reaches an entirely different echelon as the albums clear stand-out track…the gradual build of seductive keys and simple percussion leading into cleaner vocals, capitalising on influences such as GARBAGE and NO DOUBT resulting in a perfectly catchy piece of pop music; the hooks and overall groove here will have you hitting repeat with no doubt ironically, this is superb.

The trouble with that is, the rest of the album can only go downhill, but it doesn’t go too far down it has to be said; “Hellawake” is another brilliant example of synth-pop combined with hard riffs and hushed ambiance for a solid, almost anthemic listen; layered incredibly well…”HeXxX (The Element Of Sex)” has a certain retro feel to it, partly channelling the likes of THE B52’S in tone giving it a fun, up-beat feel, while “Cryptid” utilises a pacey guitar driven approach, rich with gang vocals, melodies and subtle breakdowns for a well delivered ear-bashing, before closing track “C*mmunion” ends on a high note with more hooks and accessible pop-rock enjoyment. It’s not quite a perfect album over its ten tracks though sadly; “Slam!” despite being heavier and grittier musically plods along a touch too methodically, while “New Witch 666” undergoes a remix following its initial release in 2015…not the best of tracks to begin with, the revised cut gives it new life but it’s still weaker compared to what else is on offer. All in all however we have an undeniably strong album here and from start to finish these xenomorphs entertain on a number of levels. If we could just get Ash to sabotage the fuck out of their repair operation given his previous, maybe they’ll stick around a bit longer…because whilst sick they are indeed beautiful. [8]

You’re probably very well aware by now that I’ll tackle damn near anything on this blog…be it the recent return of the Eurovision Song Contest; with its multifaceted line-up, ranging everywhere between brilliantly bonkers to down-right dreadful, to even tackling things such as video-game crossover’s between IRON MAIDEN and ANGRY BIRDS…essentially I enjoy something a bit different now and again; my point being? Well today we’re looking at something incredibly bloody different as today we’ll be listening to (not looking at) DITA VON TEESE. That’s right; Dita (Real name Heather Renée Sweet) is mainly famous for tastefully wearing very little as she’s probably the world’s most recognizable burlesque dancer / model, but 2018 sees her swapping the corset’s for the recording studio.

She’s no stranger to music per se, for not only was she briefly married to none other than MARILYN MANSON of all people, appearing in a couple of his music videos in the early 2000’s, as well as for other artists, but she also appeared on the aforementioned Eurovision back in 2009 assisting with Germany’s performance on stage. Now we find her releasing her own self-titled record under the banner of “Dita Von Teese”…written by French songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sébastien Tellier, let’s see what she’s learnt along the way…

We open up with “Sparkling Rain” and what we’re given is very much akin to the ambient sounds of a dreamscape; the soft synths and gentle electronic pop allowing for a very mellow, fluid listen…coupled with Dita’s very delicate hushed vocals, the song sparkles in its own right as it’s so light and bubbly, perfectly matching the references to Champagne thematically. It’s an interesting start. We follow up with lead single “Rendez-Vous” and the overall tone hasn’t really changed whatsoever, although we’re given a slightly subtle tinny, almost Caribbean inspired feeling to proceedings, tying in with the exotic theme lyrically. Slightly sultry, she sings of erotic romance and forbidden fruit, although some of lyrics are delivered awkwardly truth be told.

“La Vie Est Un Jeu” reveals to us the albums underlying inspirations as it’s one of a few tracks that incorporates French…again, the overall tone of the song is the same but it’s got more of a shoe-gaze feel to proceedings; it’s incredibly relaxed with its whistling and soft piano, but the fake laugh is a bit cringe-worthy and sadly, the bulk of this album is on the verge of being very copy and paste. While “Fevers And Candies” does at least have a little more go to it in terms of momentum via the chorus’ simple hook, a lot of the album is teetering dangerously on lifeless. “Dangerous Guy” has some decent rhythm going for it courtesy of some funk-driven percussion, and “Porcelain” does include Tellier himself as a vocalist which adds extra character, but the album is so stripped back for the most part it fails to really motivate repeat listens. Fair play to Dita for wanting to try something new, but this is quite acquired taste…so acquired in fact that it only charted in France and Belgium…and even then only reaching 119 and 140 respectively…Dita Von Teese? Dita Von PLEASE…stick to writhing around half naked in giant Martini glasses you’re much, much better at that. [3]

Back in 2005, a little know indie band by the name of EDITORS burst into the spotlight with their debut album “The Back Room” and it just the beginning of what was to become a new era in British guitar music. Artists such as STEREOPHONICS and OASIS were still riding high in the charts but there was fresh meat on the table and Birmingham’s Editors were among the new specials on the British scene. Ever since they’ve scored numerous number 1 albums and have gone multi-platinum, with their modern blend of indie and throwback post-punk a-la JOY DIVISION and ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, and 2018 sees them return, wind-milling their way through a sea of mainstream mediocrity via album number six; “Violence”…let’s check it out…

The album opens up with “Cold” and we’re met with a slow, subdued introduction consisting of light, repeated keys and Tom Smith’s distinct deeply melodic vocals, extra layered piano and simple percussion take the song out of first gear but thematically it’s appropriately named; very mellow, speaking of loneliness in life’s bigger picture, time will be up for us all in the end, let’s be lonely together, ghost along in life…and there’s a beauty in his melancholy that once again they’ve perfected; a good start here. “Hallelujah (So Low)” picks up next and again we’re given a predominantly steady opening; continuing with more synth, coupled with a hushed delicacy to Tom’s vocal delivery…before gang-vocals lead into an eruption of hard-hitting riffs and crunching guitar. Very much a song of light and dark but it’s balanced brilliantly.

The title track maintains the consistency going forward with its laid back, ambient approach to electronic pop music and is easily an album highlight…a song of disparity, it highlights humanities struggle to coexist in ways, growing further apart, with lyrics like “The last train will pull you through, at night the war still comes to you, it makes it harder to join the dots, the river gets wider in front of us”…the violence itself referring to the state of the world, the track then culminating in a frenzied climax, summing up the growing tensions worldwide and it’s been wonderfully done. Further highlights include lead single “Magazine” which is full of hooks and emotive vocals, as well as some wonderfully gritty guitar segments resulting in a highly enjoyable listen overall.

At just nine tracks long, there’s very little room for negativity here which is something I wish more artists would embrace when compiling track listings for finished records, but if I had to pick anything to bring this album down, it would be “No Sound But The Wind”…a delicate piano ballad and in its own right, it’s a sweet, sombre listen…BUT…it’s a re-recorded track that was once used on the soundtrack to “Twilight: New Moon” and to that I say “FUCK THAT!”…I don’t want to promote any shiny, sparkly vampire shit here! Keeping within the same tone however, the album closes on “Belong” which acts as a wonderfully sad metaphor for hidden passion, burning within but private and secluded…locked within the four walls of your own skin; a constant struggle. Overall it is a very restrained album and has nothing in means of classics like “Blood” or “Munich” but Editors have proven that less can certainly mean more. Sometimes violence CAN be the answer apparently. [7]

As you all know by now, every year I do a round up in some way shape or form, of the annual EUROVISION SONG CONTEST. Highly regarded in the UK as an absolutely cringe-worthy cheese-fest, it's no surprise we haven't won it for years, and that's without getting into the shows regular politics let alone the utter shambolic level of fuckery we've found ourselves in under the "leadership" of Theresa May and the current Conservative government...well actually no I'll blame Cameron too, the pig-poking prick! Regardless...we enter every year and hope to not come last essentially. The 2018 final will be held on Saturday 12th May and will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, after SALVADOR SOBRAL won the Ukraine 2017 competition...here I'll be taking a quick run down of all 26 qualified acts and giving my own personal individual score / opinion ahead of the live final...in order of live performance; let's begin...

1] UKRAINE: MELOVIN - "Under The Ladder". Aged just 21, opening the Eurovision Song Contest would seem like a daunting task for many, but Melovin (Real name Kostyantyn Mykolayovych Bocharov) is perfectly at home here, as winner of season 6 of Ukraine's version of The X-Factor. The track is an up-beat, rhythmic dance-pop piece which should in all honesty kick things off really well in terms of tempo and entertainment, but on record it isn't the most convincing vocal display in places and I just hope things don't fall flat for him on the night. 3/5

2] SPAIN: AMAIA Y ALFRED - "Tu Cancion". This is a track taken from Amaia Romero's album "Sus Canciones" and is a collaboration with one Alfred Garcia...sung in Spanish, it's one of the songs this year traditionally sung in the native language as used to be part of the rules before they relaxed things, and for all intents and purposes it's a soft piano ballad with elegant string sections...a lovely song in some aspects but luckily one of the boring ones is now out of the way early. 1/5

3] SLOVENIA: LEA SIRK - "Hvala, Ne!"...NE! NE! NE! We are the knight's who say...NE! *Ahem* All jokes aside, Slovenia's answer to MO / KESHA does a decent job of bringing a modern twist to proceedings. Utilizing a blend of hip-hop production and combining electronica with soulful pop, it's got a decent beat to it overall but it never truly takes off, with the chorus sadly coming across as anti-climatic compared to the level of expectancy of the track. 2/5

4] LITHUANIA: IEVA ZASIMAUSKAITE - "When We're Old". Ironically titled by the 24 year old, and despite her youth this isn't her first Euro rodeo! Having enrolled to compete in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, she FINALLY get's her opportunity to represent her country in 2018. It's an honestly lovely song, focusing on Ieva's hushed, whispered vocals over a gentle piano lullaby...it's a slow one, and one that will rely on mood and emotions conveyed on the night, but it's a wonderfully tranquil track and should score well regardless. 2/5

5] AUSTRIA: CESAR SAMPSON - "Nobody But You". Always the bridesmaid, never the bride...having performed as part of backing vocals for two previous Austrian acts, Cesar finally get's his own shot. Arguably one of the first bandwagon jumpers this year, Cesar brings a fully emotive, gospel sound to Portugal with his blend of soulful pop music, hammered home by a strong melodic chorus...if you're a fan of RAG 'N' BONE MAN then expect to be giving Austria your vote this year... 3/5

6] ESTONIA: ELINA NECHAYEVA - "La Forza". The show isn't over until the fat lady sings...well as it happens Elina is far from fat and we're less than a quarter of our way through so buckle up! A classically trained Soprano, Elina brings a touch of class and vocal quality to proceedings this year, with her powerful vocal range and dramatic, operatic elements...if you're a fan of TARJA TURUNEN for example, you may want to send your vote Elina's way! 2/5

7] NORWAY: ALEXANDER RYBAK - "That's How You Write A Song". FEED. ME. MORE! Oh...sorry...wrong Ryback I was thinking about WWE for a second...but no in all seriousness, Alexander is technically a Eurovision veteran; he WON the competition back in 2009 with a track called "Fairytale"...can the young lad with the violin become a two-time winner this weekend? This funk-driven almost 70's inspired combination of tinny guitar and violin has plenty of energy, but will it be Norway or NO WAY!? You be the judge...2/5

8] PORTUGAL: CLAUDIA PASCOAL - "O Jardim". The hometown-hero as such, Claudia represents the hosts this year taking the torch from reigning champion SALVADOR SOBRAL and will be hoping Portugal can pull off an unexpected victory to retain the Eurovision Trophy for a 2nd consecutive year. Another acoustic/piano ballad, it's got quite a slow build and is honestly quite soppy, potentially risking too many similarities to last years winning song itself...they say lightning doesn't strike twice, I guess Saturday we'll find out. 1/5

9] UNITED KINGDOM: SuRie - "Storm". Oh boy...if you could find me a more fitting song for the UK for this competition I will do sexual things for you no questions asked...not only is the song already two years old and theoretically out-dated, lyrically and thematically it pretty much sums up the state of affairs regarding Britain and the EU and the whole Brexit debacle...metaphorically of course. Musically it is a decent pop track and has it's anthemic qualities but despite any positives I can't see us doing well at all this year...3/5

10] SERBIA: SANJA ILIC & BALKANIKA - "Nova Deca". There's always an entry with utilizes traditional middle-eastern tones and this track is that entry...and seriously what a long-ass intro, taking up nearly a third of the song! It's got a generally simple beat and does pick up, leading into an ultimately pleasant, up-tempo track with subtle dance tones, but it could have benefited  having more of this, less of the intro, as it's shot itself in the camel-toe essentially. 1/5

11] GERMANY: MICHAEL SCHULTE - "You Let Me Walk Alone". Another young talent with a background in reality TV; 28 year old Michael found mild success on Germany's version of The Voice in 2012, where he came third overall, before going on to release his debut album. This year we find him contributing yet another piano ballad to this years Eurovision playlist, and as you may have guessed it's another harmonious love-song with an impassioned climatic feel...again, nice but, it may get lost in the shuffle. 2/5

12] ALBANIA: EUGENT BUSHPEPA - "Mall"...I take one look at this guys name and I swear to god all I can think of is a bush-tucker trial...but my mental issues aside, here we have the first of our demographic-pleasing alternative entries. Eugent is a renowned rock performer in his home country and has actually supported the likes of DEEP PURPLE in mainland Europe, so he's got his credentials...but what is he offering here? A mellow, country-esque traditional folk-pop type piece with an acoustic lead and impressive vocals. It sounds good, I just wish I knew what he was saying. 2/5

13] FRANCE: MADAME MONSIEUR - "Mercy". France hardly needs the bad luck of performing 13th...their results have hardly been the most impressive in recent years, but they hope to change that in 2018. The ambient, synth-pop track follows on from recent success stories such as CHRISTINA & THE QUEENS and may go down well, and though there are no direct ties to the LGBT community, the whole MRS/MR approach could appeal to gender neutral's from an activist point of view...unless that's me looking far too deeply into what is essentially an annual song contest...2/5

14] CZECH REPUBLIC: MIKOLAS JOSEF - "Lie To Me". A potential favourite here depending on the right crowd...full of swagger and groove, Mikolas utilizes the southern blues inspired jazz tones of New Orleans to great effect here, rich in funk and passion, he confidently takes this track by the scruff and simply awaits the laudits of the Lisbon crowd. The recorded version does have some swearing in it, so that'll have to be edited during the final or he may find himself getting nil poi via disqualification... 3/5

15] DENMARK: RASMUSSEN - "Higher Ground". A man of many talents; Rasmussen (Real name Jonas) originally performed in a covers band, focusing on the likes of ELTON JOHN and ABBA, before he turned his attention to acting, focusing mainly on stage productions. 2018 see's him return to singing with this entry; a combination of power-pop and traditional, Nordic heritage in subtle tones. Despite the classic key-change sequence, it does lack a little oomph and falls just short of being an awesome entry. 3/5

16] AUSTRALIA: JESSICA MAUBOY - "We Got Love"...Hang on just a second let me just get Moe Sargi...'YO JESSICA MA BOI!" There we go...that's out of the way now...but no seriously Australia in Eurovision is still a thing. Yes it was novel having them there for the big anniversary show a couple of years ago but, despite not being anywhere remotely near Europe, here they are...the song itself is a generic, light, radio-pop song which wouldn't be out of place in some, teen Disney flick...it's fine but, I really don't see the point this year. 2/5

17] FINLAND: SAARA AALTO - "Monsters"...Finland you beautiful bastard of a country...as if you didn't already supply the world with some of the finest gothic metal and rock bands to ever grace the stage, you also have pop music nailed too by the looks! Saara Aalto ticks all the boxes having dueted with ADAM LAMBERT and ANDREA BOCELLI, not to mention having done voice acting for the Finnish dub of "Frozen", she's a proven voice. Here we have a sleek, electronic-pop monster in it's own right rich in hooks and mainstream appeal and it's an absolute top tune. All of the yes from me. 5/5

18] BULGARIA: EQUINOX - "Bones". Bulgaria's entry features yet another reality TV statistic in vocalist Zhana, who won Bulgaria's X-Factor in 2013...now, 5 years later we find them representing their country in Portugal with "Bones"...the haunting vocal tones and the predominantly dark-pop vibes of the song are pleasant enough, helped by its catchy chorus, but it sounds like a watered down version of "Skeletons" by 2017 Azerbaijan entry DIHAJ to me. 2/5

19] MOLDOVA: DoReDoS - "My Lucky Day". Three is the magic number as they say, and for this trio, it's third time lucky as they finally get to represent their country after failing to secure their place in both 2015 and 2016. Doritos as I shall call them from here on in, have a fun and up-beat approach this year combining modern pop with a GOGOL BORDELLO style of Oompa / alternative. 2/5

20] SWEDEN: BENJAMIN INGROSSO - "Dance You Off". One of the youngest performers at this years final in Lisbon, Benjamin started early and appeared in several Swedish musicals as a child and is hoping his performance experience can carry him through to another Swedish victory. With his soft vocals it can be said he's another JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE inspired pop-starlet but truth be told he's not of the same caliber previous Swedish winner MANS ZELMERLOW, he lacks that spark. A harmless pop song but I'm not expecting big things. 1/5

21] HUNGARY: AWS - "Vinszlat Nyar". Ever since LORDI won it for Finland back in 2006 there's almost always a rock song or two thrown into the mix to shake things up a bit and here we have that very token rock song. AWS deliver on all fronts with a strong melody and even stronger riffs for their hard rock performance, even including that cliched key-change and it has to be said it's a solid track...it wont win but it is a banger. 4/5

22] ISRAEL: NETTA - "Toy". While it's one thing to question Australia's inclusion in what is essentially a European competition, it can be said that you have to question Israel too...although politically and economically they are at least tied to the EU so there's that....anyway I digress this is a song contest not BBC Question Time. Netta Barzilai is an outsiders bet if ever there was one! A fun and up-tempo track for the most part, combining western pop influences with middle eastern traditions...it's a decent listen, that is until the random chicken noises...seriously I don't know if it's a gimmick or an affliction. 3/5

23] THE NETHERLANDS: WAYLON - "Outlaw In Em'". Real name Willem Bijkirk, he acquired his stage name after the late Waylon Jennings as means of a tribute and is no stranger to Eurovision. As part of THE COMMON LINNETS he finished runner-up back in 2014 and hopes to go one step further 4 years later. Mixing bluegrass with southern rock swagger, fans of BLACK STONE CHERRY and the like are sure to give him the nod of approval and send a vote his way. 4/5

24] IRELAND: Ryan O'Shaughnessy - "Together". Despite a lack of luck in recent years, Ireland are still the ones to beat as they've won Eurovision a record seven times since its inception, and they hope to add another victory in Portugal this year.Another TV talent show statistic, Ryan O'Whatshisface appeared in Britain's Got Talent back in 2012, reaching the final only to finish in 5th place...will he do better here? Another sweet, acoustic/piano ballad, it doesn't truly stand out as such but he's got enough Irish charm to win the voting public over...perhaps. 2/5

25] CYPRUS: ELENI FOUREIRA - "Fuego". Apparently Eleni here is the bookies favourite and I've been scratching my head to work out how and why...with her typically modern autotune-laden pop qualities I guess she'd make quick and easy money in the charts commercially, given the success of everyone from DEMI LOVATO to DUA LIPA and the like...it's decent enough pop song for what it's worth and catchy enough but, it's nothing special per se...we'll see. 3/5

26] ITALY: ERMAL META E FABRIZIO MORO - "Non Me Avete Fatto Niente"...It takes longer to say that than they'll stay in the top 10 this year if you ask me...it's emotive enough with its almost cinematic qualities in places but songs spoken in native tongue are hit and miss and never a guarantee...it might benefit from being on last in some eyes, but to many it'll be an afterthought as the audience suffers from fatigue and burnout, and it's hardly a climatic showstopper...I can't see this doing overly well. 2/5

So...there we have it...my run down of the 2018 Eurovision final! Have you heard any of the songs yet? Are you happy with your countries entry and more important;y, who will you be voting for? Leave your comments below, but for now...it's over to Graham Norton to entertain us with his commentary.

Everyone loves a comeback; the more ardent then the better the story, the greater the achievement…let’s take Jesus for example. The man was supposed to have been tortured, literally crucified and then thrown into a sealed cave on a Friday, DEAD, only for him to re-emerge 3 days later like an absolute lad, dabbing with his disciples…well now we’re going to talk about a different comeback; a virtual messiah of modern music, ANDREW WK. Back in 2001 he made an instant impact on alternative rock with his iconic debut “I Get Wet”, with undeniable anthems such as “Party Hard” and “Party Till’ You Puke”…he backed this up with the brilliant “We Want Fun” which was used for “Jackass: The Movie”…he was intense, on face value he was here for a good time, not a long time and as it turns out, it was true. He did release a couple more albums but the party had died down, and over time he petered out as tastes evolved and changed. Recently however, AWK has been going through a bit of a renaissance…and it’s all thanks to that partying.

To party, is to live; though it’s far more than a weekend session getting wasted, but an actual way of life itself, it’s a state of mind for there is party in everything around you, and he’s taken this philosophy around the world as a motivational speaker, encouraging young people to embrace themselves and love life. A regular magazine column writer, an author, he conducted seminars at universities on the positive power of partying and he garnered almost cult-like status, so it’s with a great sense of anticipation, that we allow Andrew back into our lives with his first new album in over ten years; “You’re Not Alone”…has this new sense of being reignited a fire within him, or will hype and expectation crash the party? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “The Power Of Partying” and as with most albums these days it’s an intro track…with almost military inspired drum loop, coupled with a complete brass section and triumphant, almost cinematic tone, it sounds very much like a mission statement; Andrew is BACK and you better get ready, because this party is gonna’ start any time now! First track proper “Music Is Worth Living For” follows up immediately and it exudes all of the up-beat, positivity…all of it. The synth led alternative rock, backed with a huge bold chorus is virtually beaming…like a ray of sunlight slicing through the clouds on a rainy day, it’s just happy! Recent single “Ever Again” takes things up a notch or two then with its gang-vocals and anthemic bombardment. Bass-heavy and full of groove it’s incredibly infectious with some huge melodies, this is no doubt going to be a firm favourite with live crowds; such a pleasure this is!

The good times don’t stop there either, “Keep On Going” is full of encouragement and support for the listener, a message to not give up, to not allow life’s setbacks to stop you being you, Andrew is rooting for you, the party is for everyone and you’re welcome to join in just like everyone else. “Break The Curse” is a lot deeper in tone, sultry, pulsing electronica leading into a sweeping, grandiose piece, but the message is the same, rise above the negativity…lengthy, but enjoyable, while by contrast “I Don’t Know Anything” utilizes a shorter, retro-punk inspired tone to vibrant and enjoyable effect. There are a couple of questionable moments however over the course of this 16-track record, most notably the three interludes; “The Feeling Of Being Alive”, “In Your Darkest Moments” and “Confusion And Clarity”…while the thought behind them was and is lovely, reinforcing his motivational philosophies, he does come across as a touch preachy which would have been better suited to one of his seminars as opposed to album content. Luckily the title track closes the album on a triumphant note; a charismatic call to arms, to unite in the name of partying. Fans who have fond memories of head-banging like lunatics to his heavier early material may be disappointed with this but the message here transcends genre. It’s impossible to not be cheered up and motivated by this record, and long may Andrew inspire partying around the world…puking optional. [7]

Continuing on this current run of Stencil PR promotional reviews, we find ourselves being deported from North America by the Trump administration and being packed off down under, I’m assuming to be fed to the crocodiles or even worse, watch looping “Neighbours” reruns…but it just so happens our next band calls Perth, Australia home; let me introduce you to PATIENT SIXTY-SEVEN. With the name taken from psychological DiCaprio thriller “Shutter Island”, the Aussie outfit formed in 2015, inspired by artists such as IN HEARTS WAKE and ARCHITECTS, and have been lighting up Australia’s local metal scenes since their debut EP “Imbalance”, released that same year. Now, in 2018 we see them return with a follow up EP entitled “Four Walls”…will it see them break out of Australia into the wider world of metal? Or will it have you smashing your head against every one of them? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Selfless” and the combination of orchestral strings with disjointed electronica gives this a somewhat ominous, even dramatic tone, it could easily find itself accompanying a movie trailer…in ways it’s like a modern take on a film score from Kaiju legend Akira Ifukube, or so it reminds me at least, before the vocals kick in and we’re pummeled with a visceral metal onslaught. The aggressive and clean vocals complement each other well, coupled with the use of breakdowns and we’re left with a solid dose of metalcore; it’s a decent opener. New single “Before You Go” follows up and again, there’s electronic elements at the top of the track, somewhat mechanical sounding but not as far as going fully industrial in genre. The track then descends into more of the same in terms of brutal metal entwined with bold vocal melody and it’s enjoyable, but the abrupt ending feels more like someone pulled a power cord as opposed to providing a climax and it sounds unfinished to a degree.

​“The Void” then, after such a delicate intro is slowly engulfed by more chugging, djent-inspired riff-work, with former ATTACK ATTACK! Vocalist Phil Druyer lending his lungs to proceedings and it really is a song of two halves; the underlying looping piano offers a sweetness to offset the unrelenting metal, while first single “Callous” follows a similar formula more or less just with more focus on the heavy vocals, while the title track and “Disclosure” practically follow a rinse and repeat formula. As far as metalcore goes P67 have delivered a solid EP here. The subtle synth elements that bind the aggressive qualities has worked over the six tracks but they may want to mix it up just a little bit more by the time that full length comes just to avoid the risk of repetition, with tracks facing being lost among themselves, but, all in all there’s nothing to suggest they can’t follow PARKWAY DRIVE out from down-under and on to a wider audience. Metalcore-blimey she's a lil' ripper! [6]

As a music reviews blogger I’d like to say or at least think that I’m fairly open minded…I’ll cover the majority of genres, but one thing I have to address is my own potential false advertising. My whole tongue in cheek gimmick is that I’m a Gothic Chav; an abomination of dress sense and the self-proclaimed outcasts outcast…but truth be told, I sadly don’t really cover a great deal of Goth bands within these pages (As much as I’d like to at least) and I can’t say I’ve ever truly considered attempting to form words about a Ministry Of Sound compilation, so I need to fix one of the two…Goth it is then! With that said in all seriousness, let me introduce you to MGT…far from a new kid on the block, Mark Thwaite as his birth certificate states is a seasoned veteran when it comes to alternative/Gothic rock music…in the early 90’s he was a guitarist for THE MISSION but he’s also worked alongside legends such as GARY NUMAN and PETER MURPHY and he’s a respected name in post-punk…back in 2016 he released “Volumes”…a collection of songs with a variety of collaborations, most notably a brilliant cover of ABBA hit “Knowing Me, Knowing You” with Ville Valo of HIM…this year he returns with a much anticipated follow up entitled “Gemini Nyte”…is MGT the MVP? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with the lead single “All The Broken Things” and immediately we’re met with the classic guitar tones that defined the 80’s new-wave / post-punk movement…the gentle melody wrapped around a subtle melancholia that defined the era and laid the foundations for so many Gothic rock bands in the years that followed. Vocals are provided by Ashton Nyte of THE AWAKENING…returning from the last album but what’s different here is that he’s the sole collaborator, making this feel more like a complete album as oppose to a playlist. The continuity is most prominent on “The Reaping (Reprise)”…the song making a second appearance re-recorded but without feeling like lazy filler, it better suits this album stylistically and feels right at home here.

Elsewhere highlights include “Armageddon’s Sideshow” which again perfectly captures the emotions and memories of the likes of SISTERS OF MERCY, but with a modern twist; Ashton has an ideal baritone vocal that carries the despair that this genre so thrives upon, but the music is up-beat, lively and energetic, while by contrast, “Tear The Sun” has the same level of throwback nostalgia, but it’s a much slower, morose yet hypnotic piece, more akin to his time with The Mission…combining elements of alternative rock with shoegaze. What’s also a pleasant surprise is another cover…last time we had ABBA but here we go full synth-pop courtesy of THE HUMAN LEAGUE and their hit “Love Action (I Believe In Love)”…it stays loyal to the overall tone of the track and is delivered incredibly well but it adds enough grit and attitude to separate itself from the original. The album isn’t without its lesser moments however; as “Atlanta” comes across as pretty slow and repetitive, providing a dreary and boring listen sadly, while “Everything Undone”, utilises a 50/50 approach combining sultry DEPECHE MODE inspired electronica with surging GOTHMINISTER-esque guitars in the chorus…not awful per se just, indecisive. Overall the album is solid from start to finish, this sole-collaboration with Ashton gives the album a sense of completion instead of feeling like an experimental project and they work well together, this is nostalgic without feeling forced or cheap, with their passion for this genre worn proudly on their sleeves. If you feel at home at alternative club nights like Slimelight or Spellbound then I’m sure MGT will make it into your playlists with this album. [7]

I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now and, sometimes it’s nice to look back and see how you’ve progressed…it’s nice to remind yourself of some of the music you’ve covered; sometimes good…sometimes not so good…and sometimes I’ve questioned my own judgement, even my sanity. Back in 2014 for example I was tasked with reviewing a German duo by the name of JUNKSISTA…with influences ranging from LADY GAGA to NINE INCH NAILS I was naturally intrigued by the prospect of their then album “High Voltage Confessions” but merciful god were things about to get Nazi (Nasty…I made a Pun before you go all Alt-Right on my ass)…with songs about panties, whoopee cushions and I’m not even joking; twat punching…I was left mentally scarred. The group have recently gotten in touch with me once again and asked if I fancy round two…their new album “Promiscuous Tendencies” drops on February 9th…cue the Dad’s Army intro…let’s do this…

We open up with “Monday” and like the beginning of every week the prospect is a depressing one, especially knowing what preceded it last time round…musically it combines a dark pulsing techno with a trance inspired feel elevating the chorus and it’s got it’s hooks, it’s not a bad listen by any means musically but I can’t help but feel they dropped acid listening to THE BOOMTOWN RATS and thought “Yeah, fuck Mondays!”…never mind the Cleveland Elementary School shooting, Bob Geldof was referring to this song 40 years in advance! New single “Fuck For Love” is a considerably slower, more morose effort…an anti-ballad of sorts, it’s cold and synthetic and emphasises the juxtaposition of the title which works well given it’s more serious tone. Then we have “Ice Cream”…and given its suggestive lyricism and seductive approach I can’t imagine that this is a play on words promoting anything other than oral sex…do I ask Tonibell for a 69 or do I get a spit-roast from Ben & Jerry? I have too many options…

​One thing that I will say though…all jokes aside…this album is a remarkable improvement. “Control” for example utilises some infectious dance-pop qualities and has a good rhythm, while “Bitch This Is My Party” is rich in bubbly, light electronica which is undeniably enjoyable, but the real highlights come courtesy of “Monster” and “Freak At Heart”. The former, featuring LAYZEE, is a wonderfully catchy, disco inspired up-tempo piece with a strong DAFT PUNK influence, while the latter, a collaboration with EMKE is a brilliant slab of 80’s inspired synth-wave; it’s impossible to not appreciate this…and here I eat humble pie. When vocalist Diana emailed me I have to be totally honest, she called my bluff and I fell for it. I conditioned myself to expect the worst and mentally prepared myself for the impending cringe, but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The musical quality has never been in question, it was the last albums saving grace, it was the song content that really got under my skin…but here they’ve toned down the ridiculousness but managed to retain their core character and it’s paid off really rather well…a solid electronic album; even though I’ve been put off ice cream for the foreseeable future. [7]

Every now and again the music world is introduced to a new genre…and by new genre I mean a group of artists that are loosely grouped around a certain demographic, usually for marketing…in this instance I’d like to remind you about a primarily British movement called “New Grave”. Not that I’m knocking it, let me be clear, but in in recent years, several artists have been labelled within this sense of grouping to form under this new umbrella term, artists such as ASHESTOANGELS, NEVER FOUND and even CREEPER in their early days…and in all fairness it got a bit of coverage, but it seemingly died away…or so we thought. Cue THE DEAD XIII…hailing from Manchester and consisting of vocalist Kurt Blackshard, bassist Paul Ryan, drummer Spike Owen, lead guitarist Ste Mahoney and guitarist / synth player Symon Strange, the horror metal mob plan to dig us all a fresh one on February 9th when they drop their brand new album “Dark Days”…grab your shovels…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Bloodlines” and we’re met with some cold, eerie synths and a foreboding sense of musical thanatophilia as it slowly builds towards an intense dose of aggrotech inspired metal…it’s energetic and up beat but retains a darkness, backed by Blackshard’s deep, raw vocals…this would easily please fans of say SADDOLLS and DEATHSTARS without sounding like a cheap knock-off, the quality here is top-drawer and it gets the album off to a strong start. We continue on with the album’s title track and though, while the synths are still there as a prominent feature, layered deeply within the songs structure, this is a slower, heavier offering with more emphasis on the chugging riffs, and in many ways this would satisfy anyone following MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, it’s got that crossover, metalcore vibe to it.

​The album has it’s fine points elsewhere too; “Angels” and “Play Hell” keep the momentum going with more of the same up-tempo industrial tinged electronic goth metal…I don’t say this lightly but artists in this genre bracket are a dying breed, especially ones of this quality, the market has shrunken considerably so it’s wonderful to see not only a band totally owning it, but to have come from the UK too, it’s so encouraging! The real star of this album however has to go to “Killers”…with all of the qualities already mentioned but taken up a notch, it’s got some wonderfully infectious melodies and a chorus bordering on anthemic, add to that the slick guitar solo, this tracks on point! A couple of tracks that missed the point however do slightly tarnish the album to a degree…”Last Stand” despite its frenetic black metal inspired intro ends up a little methodical. “Vigil” while undeniably a sweet little piano interlude, is sadly still just a sweet little piano interlude. A break from the vocals is welcome mind you, that’s another thing, it’s all systems go from Blackshard 100% of the time and some clean vocals wouldn’t go amiss...before we get click-baited by “Curtain Call”. First of all, putting another instrumental filler track in the album is one thing but placing it at track 11 on a 12 track album is just annoying…have an elongated intro to proper closing track “From Beyond” by all means but this is a waste of time…it’s literally just filler. Nit-picking aside it’s a strong album overall and does the genre ample justice…whether or not that genre is worth being labelled as new grave is up for debate but for now, consider 13 a lucky number. [8]

"G’day mate! How are you going? Grab your togs and the Esky coz’ there’s this fair dinkum Aussie band we have to check out this arvo, so crack open the XXXX and let’s fuckin’ rock ya bogan!" Now that I’ve likely offended a lot of you stereo-typically because let’s be honest, you re-read that sentence with an accent, let’s get serious for a moment…in case you hadn’t realised we’re going to be talking about an Australian band and coincidentally, it was recently Australia Day, so that’s a nice segway. We’re going to be looking at a band by the name of TONIGHT ALIVE…formed in Sydney in 2008, the 4-piece (Consisting of vocalist Jenna McDougal, guitarist Jake Hardy, bassist Cameron Adler and drummer Matt Best) have always had natural comparisons to PARAMORE but they rightfully ignore that (Let’s be honest any group with a female vocalist post-“Riot!” was influenced by Paramore…right?) and so-far in their 10 year run they’ve always done their own thing. They’ve recently released a brand new album by the name of “Underworld”…so, get ya’ thongs on mate we’re going down under!

The album gets underway with “Book Of Love” and we’re met with some low-key electronica…the softness of it allows for a very ambient vibe and it’s rich in harmony, before it erupts into this bold, confident chorus, Jenna belts this one out and musically this is something fans of ANAVAE would lap up, a lovely start this…before we keep the quality coming with lead single “Temple”.  The guitar is more prominent here for the most part adding an extra level of grit and weight, giving the track a more serious tone initially, but again it bursts into this massive, up-tempo chorus and it’s truly infectious…structurally it’s a 50/50 track but it works really well and it’s a definite album highlight.

There is a bit of a theme that runs through this album and it’s evident in tracks such as “The Other”…another up-beat, modern pop-rock anthem in every sense of the word, it’s got all the hooks, the intensity and massive chorus, likewise with “Just For Now”…Jenna’s got some powerful vocals when she gets going and again they ramp up the melody and throw this massive groove-laden chorus at the listener, they’ve nailed it on this record it has to be said, with really enjoyably choruses and hooks spread thoroughly across this whole album like a dollop of Vegemite…and their softer offerings aren’t bad too either! Closing track “My Underworld” is a wonderful collaboration with SLIPKNOT / STONE SOUR vocalist Corey Taylor and here he’s allowed to showcase his impressive clean vocals in a wonderful little duet, while “Looking For Heaven” is a quaint albeit soppy piano ballad. If there are any faults with this album, surprisingly it’s “Disappear”…featuring Lynn Gunn from PVRIS, it’s here you expect to be blown away with a dual-assault, bombastic, electronic pop-rock masterpiece given both of their strengths as front-women but, it’s really rather tame and a bit of a wasted opportunity. Other than that it’s a solid album from start to finish and well worth the listen…wherever you are in the world, tonight is very much alive…carpe noctem and all that. [8]

Last time we left HIM…they left us on the cliff hanger with a foreboding sense of impending happiness…what did they mean? What did Valo have up his sleeve? What creative direction would they take next? The answer would surprise many…the previous release; “Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice, Chapters 1-13” wasn’t received very well by a large portion of fans, with Valo himself even suggesting the album was a failure…so were the band done with the commercial radio-friendly approach? Would Valo brush his 80’s new wave pop influences under the carpet and pick up the guitar again? The short answer is, not quite…the band instead opted to do a LINKIN PARK and release a remix album entitled “SWRMXS” and if fans were confused before, this had them scratching their heads…

We do we even begin? One thing that can be said about HIM is, they’ve always tried to stay fresh…each and every album they’ve released has, while retaining the core HIM sound and principles, always mixed it up a little…be it in tone, or genre influence, ranging from doom metal to hard rock, to Gothic piano ballads…but if anything the last album proved that heading down a commercially friendly mainstream route upset fans to some extent…so was this in essence a middle finger? A fuck you? Many viewed this as a die-hard fans only release, one for the collectors and a record that had no real place in the bands discography…but how good or even bad WAS it? The eleven track mix tape opens up just like its predecessor with “In Venere Veritas” but it’s been reworked by Finnish electronic composer HUORATRON (Real name Aku Raski) and what we find is a dirty slab of EDM, dotted with broken vocal samples and distorted dub qualities…its…different. “The Foreboding Sense Of Impending Happiness” can in ways be blamed for the project as a whole given the musical approach and here its mix by American house DJ MORGAN PAGE is very much the lo-fi, chilled listen it was always meant to be, rich in ambience. Some of this material DOES work…”Love, The Hardest Way” has the pleasure of having TIËSTO at the helm and is probably the sole source of credibility here for any casual listener…his approach is simple and trance-inspired with some genuinely catchy qualities, while “Dying Song” is given similar treatment…again, lo-fi but up-beat and at least enjoyable…when they get it wrong however, my god do they get it wrong. “Heartkiller” gets absolutely butchered courtesy of a MERCYFVCKS remix…I honestly wish it had mercy and fucked off…while the oOoOO remix of “Shatter Me With Hope” could put a glass eye to sleep…brave? Very. Stupid? Debatable…one thing’s for sure; it left a sour taste in many a fans mouth and is arguably the worst thing the band ever put their name to. [3]
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There would be another quiet spell following on from the Screamworks touring cycle and in ways, a period of recovery and reassessment too, on both sides to a degree…but fans got excited again in 2012 when HIM returned out of the blue with a new single; “Strange World”…another cover, this time by KÉ and another cover the band could ultimately call their own, credit to HIM, they know how to pick a cover…but excitement soon dwindled as the new song would be just that; one new song, merely to accompany another greatest hits collection…”XX: Two Decades Of Love Metal”. No more than an upgraded version of “And Love Said No”, it simply included the singles from the albums post 2004 and many fans felt disappointed. Sure the track was good, it was even more satisfying seeing the band pick up the guitars again and belting out some hard rock…but why just the one song? It turns out there was an issue with previous record labels who still owned rights to the bands back catalogue and wanted to put out a compilation…HIM literally recorded the song to shut the label up and the album was swiftly forgotten about; a brilliant cover and a solid collection of classic songs but…ultimately pointless. [7]

It wouldn’t be long however for HIM to release another full length album, spurred on by the recording process the year prior, the band had signed a new deal with RAZOR & TIE releasing “Tears On Tape” in 2013. The album wasn’t without its difficulties mind you…in fact the album very nearly didn’t happen, with the band worryingly close to calling it a day before it was even completed…an omen for things to come sadly. During the writing process, drummer Gas was suffering from nerve damage in his hands from repetitive stress and was ordered to take time out…would the album be completed? More importantly would Gas drum again and, with that, could HIM continue? Lucky after several months he returned and the album was finished…once again produced by long-time collaborator Hiili Hiilesmaa, it saw the band again return to their roots, delivering a raw, garage rock vibe full of grit and maturity. The back-to-basics approach led to Valo's vocals having a vulnerability to them, his morose poetic lyricism was showing an honest pain…tracks like “I Will Be The End Of You” and “Hearts At War”, blistering in their delivery, highlighted a suffering for love in their guitar driven frustration, while cuts like the title track and “Drawn & Quartered” tugged at the heartstrings with a strong sense of empathy…never afraid to experiment however, the album includes the band’s first and only instrumental pieces, breaking up the album allowing for a fresh listening style, before the album closes on the emotionally powerful “W.L.S.T.D.”…one of the bands heaviest, gloomiest and despairing pieces of music, coupled with one of Valo’s most impassioned vocal displays, it’s truly heart wrenching…and sadly…it was to be a fitting and poignant swan-song. [7]

After the record was released and the touring cycle was completed, Gas decided his time was up and left the band, leaving question marks hanging over fans worldwide. This…was to be the Finn’s final album…HIM were done. Stand-in percussionist Jukka took up the drum-kit to play for the band on live dates in the few brief years that followed, but in the March of 2017, HIM announced to the world that, they would be breaking up. The writing of new material simply wasn’t working, the spark had gone, the Heartagram was no longer beating, and the hearts of legions of fans were broken…tears were no longer on tape, they were on the cheeks of hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide as his infernal majesty relinquished his crown, kissing goodbye to us all. The band embarked on one last hurrah, a farewell tour dubbed “Bang And Whimper” (Still with a sense of humour on their way out) which led to the bands final ever performance at Helldone in Tavastia, Finland, on the 31st December 2017. After a 20+ year career…8 albums and having garnered one of the most cult-like followings in music…HIM were no more, and the world lost something truly magical. From here on out, I’d like to wish Ville, Mige, Linde, Burton and Jukka all the best in everything they set their hearts on, as we’ll always be there for them. You gave countless people hope, something to live for, something to cherish, and you'll be missed greatly, not just as a band, but by an extended family. Thank you, and farewell. Tears on tape…we will follow. <3